Racing Dynamics R50 Tornado (E46)

In 2000, Racing Dynamics introduced the R50 Tornado based on the BMW M3 (E46 body) with the BMW S62 engine from the BMW M5 (E39) and BMW Z8. At the Essen Motor Show in the same year, the tuning company Herbert Hartge GmbH & Co caused an extremely nervous reaction: on the website of which a press release appeared in which Mr. Hartge accused Michael Lauer (Managing Director of Racing Dynamics) of plagiarism. Painfully, the R50 Tornado turned out to be similar to the Hartge H50 presented shortly before with a similar engine. According to Hartge, Mr. Lauer simply bought one of the Hartge H50s from the owner with a premium of DM10000, after which he replaced the serial number of the chassis, covered its duplicate on the body with a film; the model received new parts of the aerodynamic body kit, branded rims. In this form, the former Hartge H50 was exhibited in Essen, where, as if by magic, it added 50 hp. This Hartge press release was posted on the company's website in February 2001. By the way, in it, Mr. Hartge himself threatened the leadership of Racing Dynamics with a lawsuit for unauthorized copying of other people's ideas. But the story did not continue.

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